Tag Archives: Cecil County Maryland Harm Reduction

Trained volunteers hit the streets in October to make relationships and to offer resources, safe use and safe sex materials throughout Cecil County, Maryland. Hope Street is the backpack outreach team of Voices of Hope, Inc. Volunteers are people in recovery, family members and those who support recovery in Cecil County. Hope Street volunteers have been trained in harm reduction and trauma-informed care. They are given information and training to connect people with treatment providers and recovery supports.

Teams walk through 3 neighborhoods on a weekly basis, always at the same time. The SHE Unit is building relationships with sex workers in our County. The police and sheriff departments are aware of the shifts and the identifiers that indicate Voices of Hope volunteers.

This outreach is an effort to build helping relationships and reduce the harm that comes with chaotic drug use. By offering safe sex and safe use equipment, Voices of Hope will reduce the number of those acquiring infections and serious, expensive health conditions like Hepatitis C and HIV. The teams also collect and dispose of discarded needles if any are found along the routes. Narcan will be distributed with training to anyone interested.

One of the best results of this outreach is building new relationships with people who care about their neighbors. Many good citizens are in these neighborhoods and want to contribute to the well being of their communities. Together, we will carry a message of caring, health and help to get to the next step of a recovery journey.

Want to join our teams? Plan to attend the next Volunteer Recovery Army Training on November 3, 2018 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, location to be announced. Stay tuned to our Facebook page or website for information or sign up to our email list by request email to voicesofhope414@gmail.com.